The Silver Lining

Mid-June to June 25, 2018 Do you remember your first time riding a roller coaster?   You’re seated in the car, all locked in and it begins to move slowly at first.   There are a few twists and turns, some jerks and rolls, and it begins to speed up as it goes through the first turns and twist.   But eventually, it’s going to start climbing up a hill, and you KNOW that after you crest the top of that hill there is a heart-stopping, death-defying drop that is nearly straight down.     You enjoy the first part of the ride, even the scary jerky parts, but know that eventually, you’re going to make that dive.   As the car begins the gradual ascent up that hill, you become more and more apprehensive of What Is To Come .   When the car gets to the very top, it stops, very briefly, and you might hear or feel a little *click* -- just before the car dives into the abyss, free-falling, fast and uncontrollable.   My story so far is like the first part of the ride.   There were stran

May 30 - Mid-June, 2018 Back home after vacation, there are always a million things to catch up with. A mountain of laundry, grass that needs to be cut, bills that need to be paid, special chores and projects -- all vying for attention.  We both threw ourselves in to getting our home ready for the summer.  We joke around that we run a Bed and Breakfast during the summer months -- we bought this house because it had plenty of room for guests and we actually do have a lot of visitors! Some days I'd wake up and my vision was fine.  But most days, it would eventually split and I'd be seeing double.  I found it difficult to finish tasks -- just trying to SEE was frustrating and exhausting. But I pushed through. The last day of May, I drove to my daughter Melody's house for an overnight visit.  Grandson Carter's school was having a Spring Celebration, and I was invited to go to the festivities!  I had a good time visiting that Thursday evening, reading bedtime stori

May 20-25, 2018 We walked through the doors of the Louis Armstrong New Orleans Airport and the sultry late spring air hit us like a smack to the face.  Ahhh NOLA, it's good to see you again! We'd been planning this trip for MONTHS.  Our friends Joe and Theresa were meeting us there.  Joe and David served together in the USMC years ago; last year we visited with them in New Jersey and began making our plans for New Orleans then. We checked into Bienville House, in the French Quarter.  Recently renovated, it was a lovely place to stay -- and within an easy walk to just about anything we wanted to do. Our plans included lots of the sights, sounds, and tastes that New Orleans is famous for. The Katrina Museum, the steamboat Natchez, Jackson Square, Bourbon Street, St. Louis Cathedral -- just a few of the things on our "NOLA Bucket List" -- all just waiting for us! You can't talk about New Orleans without mentioning FOOD.  David is a "foodie&q

May 10-19, 2018 The day after the earth tilted was a fairly normal Thursday.  Everything seemed  to be back to normal.  I went about my usual routine, but the TILT  experience kept nibbling at the edges of my mind.  I had a big weekend planned, so let's get going! But hey, let's listen to a little music while I tell you about the weekend.  I'm a 70's kinda gal, so sometimes music from "my era" pops into my head when it relates.  And this sort of relates.  So enjoy the song, as you read.... This was a Big Deal Weekend for our family.  It was Mother's Day weekend, PLUS my niece was graduating from Wingate University. Friday we packed up the car and drove to my daughter's home near Monroe. My three kids had planned a Mother's Day Feast for Friday evening.  They are all grown up, with families of their own, and jobs with crazy hours -- so when we ALL are able to gather at the same place at the same time for a few moments, to me it is a HUG

*TILT* May 9, 2018. I remember the day quite well.  It was a typically busy day for me; a trip to Columbia for a music lesson, some errands afterwards, a short meeting at church. Life's good and I'm having fun.  Family worries are few, I'm on a health kick and have lost a few pounds.  I'm fulfilling a bucket list item by learning to play a harp and that's challenging as well as fun.  We are planning a trip to New Orleans in a couple of weeks with friends, that's something to look forward to. I finished my lesson and headed home, stopping briefly to pick up a few groceries.  The day was beautiful, and I put the top down on my car before I started home.  I drove out of the parking lot and as I crossed the Killian Road bridge to get to the ramp to I-77.... I felt the world * TILT*. That sounds strange.  I don't know another way to describe it.  I realized that somehow my peripheral vision was not quite right.  What my eyes saw from the sides was no lon